Safety campaign to reduce injuries in the forestry industry

Minister for Finance Michael Daley and Minister for Mineral and Forest Resources Ian Macdonald have announced the next step in a joint campaign to improve safety in the forestry industry.

Minister Daley said WorkCover NSW and Forests NSW had been working together to develop practical and effective approaches to improve workplace health and safety and injury management in the industry.

"Both agencies have been consulting with public operators, employers and contractors in the forest and forest products industry to identify and resolve key safety issues," he said.

"As part of the advisory campaign WorkCover conducted a series of site visits between April and July last year to 25 hardwood and plantation operations across the state.

"The site visits identified inconsistent implementation of work health and safety management systems and a need for more practical support in relation to hazard identification and general risk management practices.

"In response to the issues raised by industry, WorkCover NSW and Forests NSW also developed a Forest Industry Safety Pack to more closely meet the needs of forestry and forestry product operators," Mr Daley said.

Mr Macdonald said the new Forestry Industry Safety Pack is in the final stages of development and will be presented to key industry stakeholders through a series of eight safety workshops to be held across the state during February and March.

"These workshops will provide the industry with an opportunity to comment on the new pack, which will be formally launched later this year," he said.

"The Forest Industry Safety Pack establishes a standard of work health and safety management for the industry, and includes guidance and practical tools to assist the forestry sector implement a systematic approach to safety and injury management.

"This guidance material and workshop series were a milestone in the campaign, which had so far been successful in raising industry awareness of safety obligations.

"I am confident this campaign will deliver positive long term outcomes in reducing injuries across this sector, while building the industry’s ability to manage workplace safety risks.

"The advisory campaign demonstrates a shared commitment between the New South Wales Government and the industry to develop sustainable safety outcomes by reducing injuries and making businesses more productive," Mr Macdonald said.

Source: WorkCover NSW

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